And Sam Allardyce's side added a second just a minute later when striker Ricardo Vaz Te rose highest to nod Mark Noble's cross past Russell.

West Ham continued to dominate proceedings with Rat and Paul McCallum - who scored in his side's 6-2 win over Cork City last Sunday - going close, but they went in at the break just two goals to the good.

Allardyce changed his entire team at half-time, with captain Kevin Nolan, Joe Cole and Matt Jarvis among those entering the fray.

Unsurprisingly, the addition of more first-team regulars to the away side's line-up only served to increase their stranglehold on the match.

Jarvis wreaked havoc down the West Ham left throughout the second period and he had a chance to increase their lead on the hour mark, but could only fire over the bar after collecting a cleared Cole corner on the edge of the area.

Ex-Liverpool man Cole himself then went close with ten minutes remaining, before skipper Nolan sealed the victory with a clever volleyed finish after 83 minutes.